Unpacking the child influencer to OnlyFans pipeline

Last week, I appeared briefly in a streaming-only episode of Nightline about the influencer Piper Rockelle, a former YouTube child star with millions of subscribers whose mom was accused of abusing other child YouTubers (she settled for nearly $2 million in 2024). In January, a few months after she turned 18, Rockelle launched an OnlyFans account selling adult content (which mainly amounts to boudoir photos, not unlike what she already posts on Instagram). Rockelle claimed to make millions overnight; as the money poured in, so did the outrage.

This story is starting to feel very familiar. Less than a year before Rockelle joined OnlyFans, the trash-talking viral child star Lil Tay turned 18 and did the same thing. Rapper Bhad Bhabie, who is most famous for saying “Cash me outside” at age 13 on Dr. Phil, launched her OnlyFans days after turning 18, too. They each say the platform has made them multimillionaires, while viral posts and stern media coverage suggest their lives have been ruined.

As is always the case with documentaries, I had a lot to say about this topic that didn’t make it into the final Nightline episode. And I also have some critiques about the way Rockelle’s story and the child influencer-to-OnlyFans pipeline are being framed, which I’ll share after the break.

Also, we are quickly approaching the 1-year anniversary of Spitfire News! I’m having a little party in NYC on Thursday to celebrate, with more details for members below.

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